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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27332062">The Proposal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gijane7702/pseuds/gijane7702'>gijane7702</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>To Lose The Earth [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Voyager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Beyerverse, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Relaunch Novels fic, Romance, Spoilers, To Lose The Earth SPOILERS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:20:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>764</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27332062</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gijane7702/pseuds/gijane7702</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kathryn and Chakotay discuss her "one condition" ...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>To Lose The Earth [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995586</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hidden Treasure Tuesday</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Proposal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariella884/gifts">ariella884</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Staring into his eyes, she realized that the thing that had brought them together and kept them united throughout all of the years they had served together, through hardship, fear, death, painful compromise, and horrific losses, was Chakotay’s unerring ability to reach her deepest, truest self and continue to challenge her to heed its wisdom. He was more than her partner, her lover, or her dearest friend. He was the best part of her, and she honored that by returning the favor as often as possible.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“I have one condition,” she replied.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>To Lose The Earth </p>
  <p>Chapter 20 </p>
  <p>pg 324 </p>
</blockquote><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Personal or professional …?” Chakotay asks me.</p><p> </p><p>Smiling slightly, I tell him, “Personal.”</p><p> </p><p>"Let me guess … morning coffee together?"</p><p> </p><p>"No. Well, yes. But it’s not that."</p><p> </p><p>"You want the left side of the bed when you sleep over even though we’ve discussed that it's clearly mine."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> We've had no such discussion.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The sexy full-dimpled Kathryn-melting grin he flashes at me makes my knees go weak, but the naughty shimmer in his coffee brown eyes gives him away: he's trying to pull one over in me. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Not happening … The left side is mine.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"No."</p><p> </p><p>"It’d be nice …" he says, smirking at the glare I shoot him. "It’s too bad we can't share quarters."</p><p> </p><p><em>Son of a bitch.</em> <em>So close. </em></p><p> </p><p>After a few moments of silence and my eyes darting around my old cabin, I look up into his so familiar face. My heart swells with love for him. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He truly is the best part of me. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Kathryn ... ?" he begins. Hope now shines from his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"You're close …"</p><p> </p><p>"How close?"</p><p> </p><p>Leaning over and up, I peck a kiss on his lips, then say simply, “I think we should get married.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You could hear a pin drop at the silence that followed. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Chakotay blinks, then opens and closes his mouth a couple of times. But he doesn’t say anything. After a few minutes, his quietness begins to worry me. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What if he has changed his mind and doesn’t want to get married?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Is it too soon after I had basically told him no?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What would become of us on this new mission if he says no? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>When he sees my eyebrows crease and my hands start to twist, he knows I’m starting to spiral. </p><p> </p><p>Taking my hands he looks me dead in the eyes and asks, “Are you serious?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” I reply. </p><p> </p><p>Chakotay blows out a breath. "Wow … Okay.” </p><p> </p><p>“'Okay' … ?” </p><p> </p><p>He immediately picks up on the slight edginess of my voice. “Well… that's the last thing I expected. I'm a little thrown. ”</p><p> </p><p>“Chakotay!” </p><p> </p><p>“Kathryn!” is all he has to say in that ‘You Know I’m Correct, Admiral’ tone. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He is. But I’m not telling him that.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Instead, he says, “If I may ask﹘” </p><p> </p><p>“﹘Of course!” </p><p> </p><p>“What changed your mind?”</p><p> </p><p>I blow out a breath and then tell him, “I had an epiphany." </p><p> </p><p>"An … epiphany?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes."</p><p> </p><p>"About …"</p><p> </p><p>"I love you and have loved you for a very long time. But it’s not that,” He raises an eyebrow, but remains silent; we both know I’m rambling but that I'll eventually get it out. </p><p> </p><p>“I know it’s taken me so long to see ... but I’ve finally realized that you bring out the best in me. Without expecting anything from me. And I can be myself with you. That’s all you want. Just me.  You want just … Kathryn.”</p><p> </p><p>Another dimpled smile spreads across Chakotay’s face and I know he understands what I mean. “I’ve always wanted ‘just Kathryn,’” he tells me, pecking a kiss on the tip of my nose. “I love her. I have for a very long time.” </p><p> </p><p>Blinking back tears, I lean my forehead on his and whisper, "Chakotay, will you marry me?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes," he whispers back, then captures my lips in a searing kiss. </p><p> </p><p>Right in the middle of a <em> very nice </em> make-out session, Chakotay suddenly pulls back from a kiss, grinning. </p><p> </p><p>"I was enjoying that," I grumble. </p><p> </p><p>"Me too … but know what we'll enjoy more?" He pauses at my grin, then starts laughing as I fumble to unbuckle my belt. "Not that …" He places his hands over mine, stilling their movements again.</p><p> </p><p>"No?!" </p><p> </p><p>He chuckles at my exasperated huff. "Later, my love." Chakotay pecks a kiss on my lips. "We should go tell The Three Musketeers."</p><p> </p><p>I immediately grin, imagining the looks on B'Elanna, Tom, and Harry's faces. Jumping up from the couch, I pull him to his feet, saying, "Come on, let's go tell them ... before it's past their bedtimes."</p><p> </p><p>Chakotay laughs heartily as I drag him out of the Captain's … soon to be our ... quarters.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to elephant for the beta =)</p><p>For Ariella -- most of this was her idea, I'm just writing it</p><p>Going to be four -- possibly five -- parts. Next up: Tom &amp; B'Elanna</p></blockquote></div></div>
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